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M10.1 Video

1) Consider your workplace or a workplace of one of your family members.Are there chemical, biological, radiological or ergonomic issues? Using the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls how might you address the issues? How are they being addressed in reality?

 Recently at work, there were some plumbing issues going on. A pipe from the floor above us was not properly working which caused the restroom that my department uses to overflow. Let me just say the smell was HORRIBLE. If feces exposure is a thing, then we were definitely exposed to that. The smell was so bad that we had to ask our manager to be moved to another office. This restroom was located next door to us therefore, we were really close. The water overflowed to the hallways and we had to wait for it to be cleaned up before stepping a foot outside our office. This was a big issue and I don't think it was addressed properly. The fact that we had to ask to be moved was not acceptable. I think our management should have moved us because it is protocol. But, this was not the case. I work at a hospital and was very shocked to see the way the situation was managed. 

 2) What might be the barriers to workers exercising their rights to a healthy and safe workplace?

 In all honesty, in a hospital setting, in my opinion there shouldn't be any barriers to a healthy and safe workplace. The issue was resolved fast but I don't think we should have been exposed to such horrible smell. Not to mention, where we were moved, we didn't have what we needed (phones, supplies, etc.) to work efficiently. Perhaps the barrier was not having available space in the hospital to move us somewhere where we can still perform our jobs?

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